What's to argue about the super thin iPhone?

The iPhone Air is for people who are willing to forgo the camera and battery, just want a phone that's stylish and stands out.

Before the launch date on September 19, international news sites shared reviews of the iPhone Air. This is Apple's thinnest smartphone, in a more special segment than the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.

First impressions of the iPhone Air include its thinness and design that stands out from the rest of the models. However, there are still some trade-offs to consider around the camera and battery life.

Currently, users can pre-order the iPhone Air on the Apple website for $ 1,000 for the 256 GB version, up to $ 1,400 for the 1 TB option. Here are some outstanding reviews of Apple's most impressive iPhone of the year.

Different when held in hand

“It turns out the iPhone can be this thin and light,” Gizmodo 's Raymond Wong begins his iPhone Air review.

While not the lightest iPhone, the iPhone Air still manages to be different. Because the weight is spread out over a thin space, the device feels smaller than it actually is, despite having a larger screen than the iPhone 17 (6.5 inches vs. 6.3 inches).

“You really have to hold it in your hand to believe that the iPhone Air is a real, fully functional phone and not just a store-bought model,” Wong stressed.

In the same vein, The Verge 's Allison Johnson argues that the iPhone Air is for those who don't mind sacrificing a few features for a significantly thinner, lighter phone. At 5.64mm thin, the iPhone Air feels great in your hand, in your pocket, or in your bag.

Left side of iPhone Air. Photo: The Verge .

Overall, Johnson rates the iPhone Air's holding experience as similar to the Galaxy S25 Edge. The thinness may be appealing, but the biggest benefit is the light weight.

“It's great to put the iPhone Air in slim pockets in a backpack, and it's also great to hold and surf the web without having to adjust your grip.

“In situations where you hold the phone close to your ear to talk, the iPhone Air is a little more comfortable. Those little things are where I really appreciate the super light weight of the iPhone Air,” Johnson emphasized.

Still, the iPhone Air’s 6.5-inch screen size is a little too big for Johnson, and the curved edges and matte back make it feel a little less sturdy in the hand.

Unlike the aluminum frame of the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro, the iPhone Air uses a lightweight and durable titanium frame. Apple also equipped Ceramic Shield 2 coating for 3 times better scratch resistance.

The right side of the iPhone Air with Camera Control. Photo: The Verge .

When it was launched, many people were concerned that the iPhone Air would repeat the same bendability problem as the iPhone 6. In a review on Gizmodo , Raymond Wong asserted that users do not have to worry about this possibility.

“You don’t have to worry about Bendgate 2.0 because the titanium frame is very strong. Apple even encouraged me to bend the device with as much force as possible. I saw the iPhone Air bend slightly, but it always returned to its original state,” Wong emphasized.

Writing on CNET , author Abrar Al-Heeti commented that despite its thinness, the iPhone Air shows no signs of bending when held in hand or put in pocket. The device meets IP68 water/dust resistance standards and still works when dropped in a lake despite minor scratches from touching the stone floor.

If you are used to using a case, Apple offers a MagSafe case that is less than 1mm thick, which basically does not affect the thinness of the iPhone Air much. The accessory also helps flatten the camera cluster, avoiding shaking when placing the device on the table.

The first trade-off

Al-Heeti points out a major flaw in the iPhone Air, especially if you often watch movies on your phone. To achieve this thinness, Apple only equipped one external speaker, located in the same position as the earpiece. That significantly reduces the sound quality of the iPhone Air.

“It’s not a big deal, but for a phone that costs almost $1,000 , I expect more than having to use AirPods Pro 3 or other headphones to get better sound quality,” Al-Heeti said.

iPhone Air in hand. Photo: Gizmodo .

The highlight of the iPhone Air is the 120 Hz screen. With ProMotion technology, the device supports always-on mode to see the time and notifications without turning on the screen.

The high refresh rate also makes for smoother scrolling and gaming. The anti-reflective coating and 3,000 nit maximum brightness make the screen easier to see outdoors.

“Similar to the iPhone 17, this screen has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, ProMotion technology and always-on support.

The iPhone Air’s Dynamic Island is a little deeper than other iPhone models. Other than that, the display quality is pretty good,” writes Raymond Wong.

iPhone Air uses a 6.5-inch screen. Photo: The Verge .

Engadget writer Sam Rutherford praised Apple for still optimizing enough space for the Action button and Camera Control. However, he still admitted that the biggest problem in the design is that there is only one speaker.

“The speaker is admittedly very loud and punchy, but after years of stereo being the standard on high-end smartphones, mono sound isn't really that great,” Rutherford added.

He also noted that the USB-C port on the bottom of the iPhone Air is not centered, but given Apple's efforts like 3D printing the connector, this is acceptable.

Outstanding performance

The iPhone Air is powered by the A19 Pro processor. Although the name is the same as the chip on the iPhone 17 Pro, this version has been cut down to 5 GPU cores instead of 6 GPUs. However, reviews show that the iPhone Air's performance is still very good.

According to Gizmodo writer Raymond Wong, the iPhone Air's A19 Pro even surpasses smartphones equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is quite powerful for many people's needs.

“Do you need this much power for basic tasks like web browsing, texting, email, watching videos , or taking photos? Absolutely not. However, if you play 3D games or run apps that require the neural processing in the GPU, you will appreciate this chip,” Wong wrote.

Of course, those who demand high performance can choose the iPhone 17 Pro with vapor chamber cooling system. With iPhone Air, not many people need to run heavy tasks.

iPhone Air (left) and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Photo: Gizmodo .

In Rutherford's experience, the iPhone Air's frame rate held up well when playing high-end games like Destiny: Rising , while lighter titles like Sword of Convallaria didn't struggle.

Users should still be careful when running heavy tasks for a long time because the iPhone Air can heat up, especially at the protruding camera cluster.

The in-house developed N1 and C1X chips help Apple confidently declare this is the most power-efficient iPhone ever. The downside is that the C1X modem does not support mmWave bands, although this is not a very important factor.

Similarly, Allison Johnson from The Verge said her experience with the C1X modem and N1 chip was completely normal. This is the next step for Apple in self-sufficient product hardware, no longer dependent on partners like Qualcomm.

Battery life concerns

According to Johnson, the camera and battery are the two biggest trade-offs on the iPhone Air. She admits that the battery life is just okay, but better than expected. If you don't have high demands and mostly use Wi-Fi, you won't have much of an issue.

“Personally, I was a little worried when the battery dropped to 20% before dinner time, even though I had used the phone quite heavily before that with 5 hours of screen-on time.

On a lighter day with Wi-Fi at home, three hours of screen-on time left the battery at around 40% before bed, which I consider acceptable, though a bit lower than a $1,000 phone,” commented a writer from The Verge .

iPhone Air with a case attached. Photo: The Verge .

However, what worries Johnson the most is the battery life after a year. With the controversy over iPhone battery life, this is something users should keep in mind if they do not upgrade their phones regularly.

CNET highlights some modes that help optimize battery life, such as Adaptive Power. This feature automatically adjusts the iPhone's performance according to the time of use. However, because it takes a week to "learn" the habit, she cannot evaluate the effectiveness of Adaptive Power.

Al-Heeti also noted that the iPhone Air's battery life depends on usage. In a busy day of emailing, texting, Wi-Fi, taking photos, recording videos, listening to music, and watching videos, the device ran out of battery after nearly 12 hours.

In contrast, on a relaxing day with less phone usage, the iPhone Air can reach the full day usage as advertised by Apple, the capacity drops to 20% after about 15 hours of watching videos, texting, listening to music on Wi-Fi.

iPhone Air with MagSafe battery attached. Photo: Engadget .

Apple seems to anticipate this when it sells a MagSafe power bank for the iPhone Air, which can extend video playback time to 40 hours.

It's worth noting that the device only charges wired at a maximum of 20W, which is quite a bit lower than the iPhone 17 series (40W). In CNET 's testing, the iPhone Air took about 30 minutes to reach 54%, and an hour and a half to charge to 100%.

Make up for it with the selfie camera

The camera is also a limitation of the iPhone Air, with only a 48 MP rear camera and an 18 MP front camera. According to The Verge , most people will feel okay with the trade-off when the camera has a focal length equivalent to 26 mm, supports sensor anti-shake and a maximum zoom of 2x.

For some, the lack of an ultra-wide camera might be too big a trade-off, but Johnson says the selfie camera upgrades might be more important to the iPhone Air's target audience.

Specifically, the selfie camera on the device uses a square sensor, which can rotate between portrait or landscape mode without rotating the phone. Another interesting feature is Dual Capture, which allows simultaneous recording from the front and rear cameras.

Rear camera of iPhone Air. Photo: Engadget .

Al-Heeti agrees that the iPhone Air lacks an ultra-wide camera, but overall image quality is fine. In some situations, shadows and highlights are well balanced, colors are realistic and sharp. Portrait photos still have a good amount of background blur. The 2x zoom is also good enough to maintain detail and sharpness.

Raymond Wong from Gizmodo commented that photos from the iPhone Air are good enough to share on social networks or via messaging apps.

The lack of an ultra-wide-angle camera is still a minus point for the iPhone Air compared to the Galaxy S25 Edge. However, the 18 MP selfie camera with a square sensor, combined with Camera Control and dual recording mode is a big highlight.

“I have a feeling these features will be very popular, even more so than shooting space, action or cinema videos,” Wong stressed.

Who is the iPhone Air for?

Allison Johnson from The Verge commented that the iPhone Air is an affirmation from Apple about the ability to optimize hardware, hinting at the future iPhone design. She did not hesitate to say that it is the beginning of the foldable iPhone.

“Of course, that’s just speculation. Right now, I’m still trying to figure out who the iPhone Air is really for. It could be a device that makes life easier, for people who don’t mind short battery life.

It’s also for people who are willing to overlook a few missed moments because they can’t adjust the ultra-wide angle camera. If you’re in that group, the iPhone Air is worth it,” Johnson said.

Design of iPhone Air. Photo: Engadget .

Likewise, Al-Heeti notes that the iPhone Air doesn’t have the same impressive camera as the Pro line, nor does it have the biggest battery. However, that’s not an issue for people who don’t need to stare at a screen all day.

“The iPhone Air could also appeal to anyone who’s tired of the same old phones. Like foldable screens, slim smartphones offer a new look and feel that’s more exciting than the upgrades we’re used to,” she added.

Source: https://znews.vn/nhung-danh-gia-dau-tien-ve-iphone-air-post1586264.html